Shutter-operating device for photographic lenses.



s. ROESNER.

DEVICE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIG LENSES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28, 19

SHUTTER OPERATING Patented N0v.22, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

49 Inventor:

Amer-nah S.- ROESNER. SHUTTER OPERATING DEVICE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIG LENSES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28, 1910.

Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Inventor II-II Witnesses THE :voams PETIKS con \usmmw n, u. c.

SIEGMUND ROESNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SHUTTER-OPERATING DEVICE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC LENSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2.2, 1910.

Application filed. September 28, 1910. Serial No. 584,342.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIEGMUND Ronsnnn, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Chicago, in Cook county, Illinois, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Shutter-Operating Devices forPhotographic Lenses; and I do hereby declare that the followingdescription of my said invention, taken in connection with theaccompanying sheets of drawings, forms a full, clear, and exactspecification, which will enable others skilled in the art to which mysaid invention appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has general reference to automatically-operatingmechanism for actuating the shutter of photographic lenses; and itconsists, essentially, in the novel and peculiar combination of partsand details of construction, as hereinafter first fully set forth anddescribed, and then pointed out in the claims.

The object of this invention is the construction ofautomatically-operating means for actuating the usually iris diaphra ms,or shutter, of photographic lenses, an at the same time provide foradjustably-arranged means whereby a visual signal is displayed at apredetermined time before the shutter is opened, to inform a person orgroup of persons, &c., the photograph of which is to be taken, that theexposure is soon to be made.

This device is designed to take the place of the usual rubber bulb whichhas heretofore been employed for the purpose of pneumatically actuatingthe shutter-operating means, and it is especially adapted to that classof photographic lenses which have means for producing what istechnically known as time, and instantaneous exposures. In this class oflenses means are provided whereby a single compression of the bulbforces a volume of air into a cylinder having a plunger which isconnected with the shutter in such a manner that the latter is openedand instantly closed thereby producing an instantaneous exposure, whilecompressing the bulb and keeping itcompressed opens the shutter andkeeps it open until the bulb is released and permitted to expand, thetime-exposure, or the time during which the shutter is kept opendepending upon the operator and his keeping the bulb compressed. Thislatter operation is a tedious one and for taking dimly-lightedinteriors, is practically impossible. It also frequently happens thatthe operator wishes to be in the picture and, therefore, has to step infront of the camera after the same has been focused, which requires asecond operator to handle the bulb in making the exposure. All thesevarious steps in making an exposure are automatically performed by myinvention which is fully illustrated in the drawings already mentioned,and in which- Figure 1 is a front view of a photographic lens to whichmy shutter-operating device is attached. Fig. 2 is a view similar toFig. l, the shutter-operating device being turned through an angle of 90degrees, the lens being omitted. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectionalelevation of the device and illustrating the position of the variousparts at the moment that the device begins to operate. Fig. a is a likeview showing the position of the parts at the time that an impulse issent to the lens to open the shutter therein. Fig. 5 is a sectional viewof a fragment of the device and illustrating the valve which permits airto pass from the cylinder to the shutter-actuating means on the lens, inopen position. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the auxiliary valvedetached. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the impulse-valve detached.Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form ofconstruction of my present device. Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional views ofa portion of the device and illustrating further modifications thereof.Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the slide which actuates theimpulse-valve shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

Like symbols and characters of reference indicate the same or similarparts in all the various figures.

A, in the drawings designates a cylindrical shell of suitable diameterand length, which dimensions depend upon and are governed by the size ofthe lens to which this device is to be applied. This shell has at oneend a head 12, preferably in screw-threaded en gagement with said shellA, and from this head projects upwardly a nipple 18, the bore 14 ofwhich communicates with the interior of the shell A. To this nipplethere is attached a rubber tube 15, at one end, the other end of saidtube being connected to the cylinder 16, of the lens B.

In the shell A there is located a piston C, which piston is secured toone end of a tubular piston-rod 17, the other end of said rod being inscrew-threaded connection with a knob D, in the center of which there isa small orifice 18, which establishes communi cation between theinterior of the tubular piston-rod 17 and the outer atmosphere. Theeffective area of this orifice is controlled by a thumb-screw E, havinga needle-point 19. traversing said orifice 18, which needle point closesthe orifice when screwed home and opens the same more or less when thethumb-screw is unscrewed.

The lower end of the shell A. is closed by a bottom member F, screwedinto the shell A. This bottom member has centrally a screw-tapped borein which there is located an exteriorly screw-threaded sleeve G,engaging said tappet bore, the bore in said sleeve G being adapted toreceive, and permit the tubular piston-rod 17 to slide therein. Thistubular sleeve G has a knurled collar 20, by which it may be rotated,and a lock-nut 21, to lock the sleeve G in adjusted position.

The piston C already mentioned, comprises a body having adownwardly-projecting boss 22, in which the upper end of the tubularpiston-rod is secured, and an up- .vardly-projecting, externallyscrew-threaded member 23, over which a. leather cup H, is passed, saidcup being secured to the piston by a lock-nut 24.

In the shell A, and interposed between the piston C and the bottommember F, there is located a spiral spring I, which is of such a lengththat it is capable of forcing the piston upwardly to within a shortdistance of the head 12, and still retain sufiicient tension to maintainthe piston against compressed air in said shell, as will hereinaftermore fully appear.

From the inner surface of the cylinderhead 12, projects downwardly aboss 25, in which the bore 1 1 of the nipple 13 terminates. This borehas sidewise an opening 26, Fig. 5, which opening 26 is normally closedby a valve J, of peculiar construction and which valve I shallhereinafter term the impulse-valve. This valve, as shown in Fig. 7 inperspective, comprises a preferably sheet metal stamping U shaped intransverse section. It has two punctured lugs 27, by which, and a pin28, it is pivoted to the boss 25, and an upper member faced with aleather disk 29, which is adapted to close the opening in the boss 25.This valve has two further lugs 30, to which is pivoted a rod K, whichrod enters the bore of the piston rod 17, and in this rod K there is akink or indentation 31, which performs the function of a cam or inclinedplane to open and close the impulse-valve J in a manner to be further ondescribed. Acting upon this impulsevalve J there is a 32, which keepsthis valve position.

The knob D has at the side of the tubular piston-rod 17 an auxiliaryvalve L, shown in detail in Fig. 6, which auxiliary valve comprises avalve-casing 33, which is externally screw-threaded at 314:, andterminates in a polygonal section 35, by which it may be screwed intothe tapped bore 16 in said knob D. This body has an internal bore 36,adapted to receive a push-button 37, and a spiral spring 38, whichspring bears at one end in the bottom of the bore 36, and at its otherend against the shank 39, of the push button 37. Its function is to pushthe button upwardly. Centrally in this valve-casing there is located arod 40, one end of which is secured in the shank 39, and the other endof which is fastened in a valvebody il, in a recess in the face of whichthere is located a preferably leather washer or disk 12, which disknormally bears upon the tapering or beveled lower end 13 of thevalve-casing 33 and thereby closes the lower end of a passage 14, insaid valve-casing leading to the bore 36 therein, there beingescape-openings 45, in said valve casing lead ing from its bore to theouter atmosphere. This auxiliary valve N connects, by a vein 47, withthe bore of the tubular piston-rod 17, and through the latter with theinterior of the cylinder A.

From the side of the knob D project two lugs 48, in spaced relation, inwhich lugs there is pivoted a lever M, to the lower short arm T9 ofwhich is pivoted a disk N, the object of which is to serve as a targetor visual signal when displayed. At the upper, long arm of the lever Mthere is adjustably secured at cone-shaped member 50, by means of athumb-screw This disk N lies normally against the lower face of the knobD, as illustrated in Fig. 3, its exposed position being shown in severalof the remaining figures.

Having thus fully described the construction of this device, I shall nowproceed to explain its operation.

The cylinder A with its appurtenants is attached to the cylinder 16 ofthe lens B by the preferably short tube 15. ll hen it is desired to makean instantaneous exposure at a certain predetermined time, theshutteroperating mechanism on said lens is set for instantaneousoperation. Now the cylinder A is taken in one hand by the operator andthe knob D with its tubular piston-rod 1'7, and the piston C pulleduntil the spiral spring I is compressed and prevents further outwardmovement thereof. Releasing the knob D causes the spiral spring I toexpand and to compress air drawn into the upper portion P, of thecylinder A past the pistonrod and the cup on the piston, no air,howblade-spring normally in closed ever escaping from said chamber P.hen the camera has been suitably arranged for taking a picture, theneedle-pointed screw E is slightly slackened to permit air to escapefrom the chamber P through the bore of the piston-rod l7 and the minuteorifice 18, and the piston C to be moved upwardly in the cylinder A bythe action of the spiral spring I, air-pressure being maintained therebyin the chamber P. As soon as the piston reaches the bend or kink 31 inthe centrally-located rod K, this rod is deflected, which causes thehinged member J to move slightly upon its pivot 28 and to open the valve29 and permit the compressed air in the chamber P to escape through thepassage 26 and the hose to to the cylinder 16 on the lens B, and toforce the plunger therein to move upwardly and to operate the shutter Sin said lens in the usual manner, the parts of my shutter-operatingdevice at the moment when the impulse is sentto the lens ll bein shownin Fig.

When it is desired to make a time-exposure, the shutter operatingmechanism on the lens B is set accordingly, and the manipulation of mydevice as heretofore described re 'ieated. However, after the piston hasmoved to the position shown in Fig. 4, and has sent an impulse to thelens-cylinder 16, the piston C continues its upward movement and keepsthe air in the chamber P, and now also in the hose 15 and in thelenscylinder 1G, compressed. This impulse has caused the shutter S to beopened and the continuation or maintaining of the air-pressure in thechamber P causes the shutter to remain open, the piston in the meantimecontinuing to move upwardly and the displaced air in the chamber 1 toescapeslowly through the orifice 18, until the button 87 of theauxiliary valve L strikes the collar 20 on the sleeve G, when thisbutton will be depressed thereby causing the auxiliary valve to open andpermitting the air in the chamber l to rush out of the same through thebore of the auxiliary valve body and the escape openings 4:5 therein.The air-pressure in the chamber P being thus reduced, the plunger in thelens-cylinder will drop, and the lens-shutter closed. It will now beobserved that after the knob D has been pulled and released and thespring I has forced the piston C upwardly until the air-pressure in thechamber P equals the force exerted by the spiral spring I, the timerequired by the 1 piston to move to a position where the impulse-valve Jis opened, depends upon the effective area of the escape-orifice 18, andthis effective area is regulated by the needlepointed screw E whichintercepts this orifice. This interval of time may be but a few seconds,or an hour in duration, but can be readily predetermined and the properadustment made by said screw E. It will be further observed that theinterval of time elapsing between the opening of the shutter and itsclosing when making a time-exposure depends first upon the effectivearea of the orifice 1S, and then upon the position of the revolublesleeve G. Thus, moving this sleeve farther out of the bottom member Fcauses the button 37 of the auxiliary valve L to be sooner depressedthan when the collar 20 on said sleeve G is nearer to the bottom memberF, so that, when a very short timeexposure is required, this sleeve G isso far Clrzv ed out of the bottom member F that its collar 20 is inclose proximity to the button 37 at the time when the impulse-valve hasbeen opened. it will thus be noticed that after this shutter-actuatingdevice has been set to commence its operation, the operator can withdrawfrom the camera and as sume, if he so desires a position in front of thecamera either alone or in a group before the exposure is made, ampletime being affort ed him before the shutter will open. As an instal'iceof this nature, I may mention that I have taken a view in the RockyMountains where I had to place the camera on a promontory and walk quitea distance to an op iositely located point at which I desired to bephotographed, which it required about 20 minutes to reach. I had set myexposing device to open the shutter in 30 minutes, and the exposurewas'made in due time and a good picture of the scenery in which Iappear, was the result.

In order to give a visual signal of the approach of the time when theexposure will be made, so that the person or persons to be photographedmay be ready and motionless, I have provided the target N, whichnormally lies close to the bottom of the knob D. \Vhen the cone 50 onthe lever M reaches the bottom member F, this lever M is pushed slightlyaway from the cylinder A. This causes the incline on the target N tocontact with the lower edge of the button D and thereby to move thetarget from its horizontal position to a vertical one, this movementbeing assisted by a blade-spring 57 secured to said target N. The timein which this signal is to be given before the exposure takes place isregulated by mov ing the cone 50 near r to, or farther away from, theend of the leverlvl. Thus in F 2, the position of the cone 50 is shownat the moment when it has mounted the cylinder A and has thrown thetarget. to view, while in Fig. 4t the position is shown where theimpulse-valve opens, the cone 50 having moved with the piston from theposition shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. at, the time required forthe cone to move this distance being the interval of time elapsingbetween the displaying of the target and the opening of the shutter, andwhich interval may be only a few seconds or as many minutes, dependingupon the position of the cone 50 on the lever M.

I have heretofore described the preferred embodiment of my invention asdisclosed in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, but in Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive, Ihave illustrated several modified forms of construction of this device.

As shown in Fig. 8, I locate in the tubular piston-rod 17 a straight rodK, and have provided this rod at its upper end with a button 58. Uponthis rod there is a collar 60, and in the bore of the piston-rod 17there is an abutment-collar 59, a spiral spring 0, being interposedbetween these collars to keep the button 58 normally above the piston C.On the under surface of the head 12 I provide lugs 61, in which aslightly modified form of impulse-valve J is pivoted, the preferablyleather disk of which, (42) is adapted to normally close the passage 14in the nipple 13, which nipple in this instance is placed at the side ofthe center of the cylinder head 12. This impulse-valve J has adownwardly-turned member 62, wherewith the disk or button 58 contactswhen the piston O reaches the position shown in Fig. 4, and therebyopens the impulse-valve, said valve being held in normally closedposition by a spring 32. As the piston O moves farther upward, the disk58 will keep the impact-valve J in open position, but the spring O inthe piston-rod will be compressed, this spring being, howeverconsiderably weaker than the spring I so as not to interfere with theaction of said spring I.

In Figs. 9, 10, and 11, I have illustrated a further modification of myinvention. In this instance I employ a kinked rod K the same as thekinked rod in the preferred embodiment of this invention, but instead ofthe impulse-valve J, I employ one, J, similar to the escape-valve Lshown in Figs. 3, 6, and 8, said impulse-valve J comprising ahorizontally-located barrel R of cylindrical contour secured to theunder side of the head 12, said barrel having a passage 66 leading fromsaid barrel to the egress-passage 14 in the nipple 13". One of the endsof this arrel is plugged by a head 67, while the other end thereof isformed to a tapering valve-seat 43. In this barrel there is a piston 39to which is secured a rod 40' at one of its ends, the other end beingsecured to a valve-body 41, having a preferably leather disk 42",adapted to seat upon the tapering valve-seat 43. In this barrel R, andupon the rod 40 there is a spiral spring 38, acting upon the piston 39in such manner as to keep the valve 41 normally seated upon its seat 43.Upon the outer surface of the barrel B there is movably located a slideT, said slide being an approximately semicircular shell open at one end,the opposite end being formed into a crescent-shaped head 68, thesemi-circular incision 69 therein being adapted to engage a neck 70,formed in the valve-body 41. On the shell T there are provided twopunctured lugs 61 wherewith the upper end of the rod I engages. When thepiston C" reaches the kink 31 in the rod K, it will push this rodslightly aside so that the criinped part thereof may enter the bore ofthe piston-rod 17 and thereby move the shell T, together with the valve41, laterally, thus opening the said valve and permitting air to rushfrom the chamber P to the lens-cylinder in the same manner as heretoforedescribed with reference to the impulse-valves J or J.

These modifications of the construction of my invention as well asothers which may be resorted to by persons skilled in the art to whichthis invention adopted if desired, without departing from the scope ofmy invention.

In order that the chamber T may be tightly closed where the head 12 isinserted in the cylinder A, I provide an elastic washer or packing 63,between the adjoining parts, as shown in black line in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 8,9, and 10. This precaution is not required at the lower end of thecylinder A, for obvious reasons.

Having thus fully described this invention I claim as new and desire tosecure to me by Letters Patent of the United States 1. An automatictimer for photographic lens-shutters, comprising, in combination, acylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a tubular piston-rod to which saidpiston is attached, means in said cylinder adapted to move said pistonin one direction only, an impulsevalve in said cylinder, and a rod insai tubular piston-rod, said rod being provided with means which willopen said impulsevalve when said piston reaches a predetermined positionin said cylinder, and to keep said impulse-i alve in open positionduring the remainder of the stroke of said piston.

2. An automatic timer for photographic lens-shutters, comprising, incombination, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a tubular piston-rodto which said piston is attached, a spring in said cylinder adapted tomove said piston in one direction only, an impulse-valve in saidcylinder, a rod in the bore of said piston-rod, said rod being adaptedto open said impulse-valve when said piston reaches a predeterminedposition in said cylinder and to keep said impulsevalve open during theremainder of the stroke of said piston, a discharge-orifice leading fromsaid tubular piston-rod to the outer atmosphere, means adapted to governthe effective area of said discharge-orifice, and an auxiliary valveadapted to open when said piston approaches the end of its stroke.

3. In an automatic timer for photographic appertains may belens-shutters, the combination, of a cylinder, a piston in saidcylinder,'a tubular pistonrod to which said piston is attached, meansadapted to move said piston in one direction only, an impulse-valveadapted to open when said piston reaches a predetermined position insaid cylinder, and means adapted to open said impulse-valve and to keepthe same open during the remainder of the stroke of said piston, saidlatter means including a rod in the bore of said piston-rod, there beinga kink in said rod adapted to contact with the bore in said piston, oneend of said rod being pivoted to said impulsevalve.

4. A timer for photographic lens-shutters, comprising, in combination, acylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a tubular piston-rod to which said.piston is attached, means in said cylinder adapted to move said pistonin one direction only, an escape passage leading from said cylinder tothe Sl'lflttCY- operating means on said lens, an impulsevalve adapted toopen said passage when said piston reaches a predetermined position insaid cylinder and to keep said passage open during the remainder of thestroke of said piston, said means toropening said impulse-valveincluding kinked rod located in said tubular piston rod and connectedpivotally to said impulse-valve.

A timer for photographic lens-shutters, comprising, in combination, acylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a tubular piston-rod to which saidpiston is attached, means adapted to move said piston in one directiononly to compress air in said cylinder, an escape-orifice at the outerend of said tubular piston-rod, means adapted to vary the effective areaof said escape-oriiice, an impulse-valve adapted to open when saidpiston reaches a predetermined position in said cylinder and to remainopen during the remainder of the stroke of said piston, a kinked rod inthe bore of said piston-rod, said kinked rod being pivotally connectedto said impulse-valve, an auxiliary valve at the outer end of saidtubular piston rod and independent of the same, a passage leading fromthe bore of said piston-rod to said auxiliary valve, and adjustablemeans adapted to open said auxiliary valve when said piston approachesthe end of its stroke.

6. In an automatic timer forphotographic lens-shutters, comprising incombination, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a tubular piston-rodto which said piston is attached, means adapted to move said piston inone direction only, an impulsevalve adapted to open when said pistonreaches a predetermined position in said cylinder, and an auxiliaryvalve at the outer end of said piston-rod adapted to open when saidpiston approaches the end of its stroke, said auxiliary valve beinglocated at the side of said tubular piston rod and having acommunicating passage with the bore of said pistonrod, said auxiliaryvalve having a button adapted to contact with an adjustable abutment, asset forth.

7. In an automatic timer for photographic lens-shutters, comprising, incombination, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a tubular piston-rodto which said piston is attached, means in said cylinder adapted to movesaid piston in one direction only, a bottom-member on said cylinder, atscrew-threaded sleeve in said bottom-member, a knob at the outer end ofsaid tubular piston-rod, and an auxiliary valve located at the side ofsaid tubular piston-rod in said knob, said auxiliary valve comprising avalve-casing, a button having a shank movable in said valve-casing, avalve at the lower end of said valve-casing, a rod connecting said shankto said valve, and a spring in said valve-casing adapted to keep saidvalve normally seated against the end of said valve-casing, said buttonbeing adapted to contact with said sleeve to open said valve.

8. In an automatic timer for photographic lens-shutters, thecombination, of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a pistonrod towhich said piston is attached, means in said cylinder to actuate saidpiston, an impulsevalve adapted to open when said piston reaches apredetermined position, and means adapted to indicate visually theposition of said piston prior to its opening the impulsevalve, saidlatter means including a pivoted lever, a target pivoted to said lever,and means on said lever adapted to move said lever when reaching saidcylinder.

9. In an automatic timer for photographic lens-shutters, thecombination, of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a piston-rod towhich said piston is attached, means adapted to move said piston, animpulse-valve adapted to open when said piston reaches a predeterminedposition in said cylinder, and means adapted to indicate visually, theapproach of said piston to the position when said impulse-valve opens,said latter means including a lever pivoted at the lower end of saidpiston-rod, a target pivotally connected to said lever, an incline onsaid target adapted to contact with the lower end of said piston-rod, aspring on said target, and a cone on the long arm of said lever, saidcone being movably secured to said long arm and adapted to contact withthe lower end of said cylinder.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereuntoset my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SIEGMUND ROESNER.

lVitnesses MIoHAnL J. STARK, CI-IAs. S. BARKER.

